


When My Name Was Keoza

by Electrons



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Gaslighting, Gen, Genocide, Racism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26723095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Electrons/pseuds/Electrons
Summary: During a raid on the South Pole, Yon Rha, captain of the Southern Raiders, found the last Waterbender. He captured the six year old girl and took her back to the Fire Nation to be presented to the Firelord. Instead of killing or imprisoning her, the Firelord decided the child could grow to become useful to him. Thus, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe died, and Keoza of the Fire Nation was born.
Comments: 141
Kudos: 117





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I promised myself not to post any new fics until I finished Fight, but I cheated by putting flash fics on Tumblr. Then this one got too long. Sigh... Still working on Fight. Making... very little progress. Sorry. It's happening though. Very slowly. You ever see sap flow down a tree trunk? That speed.
> 
> BTW, Iroh is pre-redemption arc in this fic. He commits genocide. He's a bad guy. So if you can't stand to see him written doing horrible things, maybe give this a miss.

Prince Lu Ten of the Fire Nation watched with interest, but respectful silence, as his grandfather told his father about the missive he had just received from the captain of the Southern Raiders. The Crown Prince had desired of late for his son to sit in on some meetings with the Fire Lord, believing he was of a proper age to begin learning about his future duties.

"The last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe is on her way here as we speak. Yon Rha is quite proud of his prize," Firelord Azulon said in a derisive tone.

"Is there reason he should not be," Iroh said in a much milder tone.

"She's a six year old girl," Azulon said with a sniff. "Hardly a worthy opponent."

"Hmmm… So young…" Iroh scratched his chin.

"I know that face Prince Iroh. Tell your father your latest radical musing."

"This is a rare opportunity, Firelord Azulon. The child is of an age where she is still malleable. With proper instruction, she could be taught to be a loyal citizen of the Fire Nation. We could study her bending. The knowledge we would gain would be invaluable when we eventually take on the walls of the Northern Water Tribe."

Firelord Azulon folded his hands under his chin and stared into the distance, thinking. "I will contemplate your words," he said after a long drawn-out silence.

Iroh bowed his head. "May I pour you another cup of tea, Firelord Azulon?"

"Thank you, my son." Azulon glanced at Lu Ten as though just remembering that he was there. "What do you think of your father's notion, Prince Lu Ten?"

Lu Ten considered. He wanted to impress his grandfather, of course he did. He didn't think blindly agreeing with his father would impress the Firelord, but disagreement would be disrespectful to his progenitor. "I think…" He had to come up with something. "This is a perfect opportunity to showcase our benevolence, by saving this child from the Water Tribe's savage ways."

Firelord Azulon nodded in approval. "I agree. Kill the Tribeswoman to save the child. She will be proof of concept. If we can save her, it will prove that there is a place for her kin in the new world order. If not…" He didn't need to finish.

Weeks passed as Yon Rha's fleet made its way back to the Fire Nation. When the day came for the arrival of the young Waterbender, Lu Ten was excited. He'd never seen a Tribesman or Tribeswoman before. He wondered if they had gills or other inhuman qualities.

When the family was assembled in the throne room, he felt a tiny hand slip into his. He looked down at Zuko and chuckled. The eight year old boy looked nervous. "Don't worry," Lu Ten whispered. "I'll protect you from the fearsome Waterbender."

The doors opened and the Waterbender was escorted in. Lu Ten was beyond disappointed. It was just a dark skinned little girl in dirty rags. The only thing that made her look any different from the hundreds of begger children that could be seen on the streets of the capital was her blue eyes.

"Hello, child," Firelord Azulon said.

The little girl stared up at him. Her lips trembled. Her eyes were dry though, despite her distraught expression. She was too dehydrated for tears, Lu Ten realized.

"How old are you, child?" Prince Iroh's tone was kind.

"Six," she whispered.

"What's your name," Ursa asked in a gentle voice.

"Katara," the little girl rasped.

Firelord Azulon shook his head. "That won't do at all. She needs a suitable Fire Nation name. Iroh, this is your project. What shall we call her?"

Iroh considered. "How about… Keoza?"

Firelord Azulon nodded. "Very well. Your name is now Keoza, child. Do you understand?"

"But… My name is Katara."

Firelord Azulon frowned. "Do you know who I am?"

The girl cowered. "N-no."

"Of course. I should not be surprised. It is well known that the backwards Tribesmen don't allow girls an education. Well, today is a blessed day for you, Keoza. Today is the day of your first lesson. I am Firelord Azulon."

She stared at him with wide eyes, shaking. "I want my mom."

Firelord Azulon frowned. "You should bow before your Firelord."

"Like so," Iroh helpfully supplied. He demonstrated a traditional Fire Nation bow.

Keoza copied him clumsily.

"Sufficient for now," Azulon said. "Tell me child, what is your name?"

"K-Katara."

The flames of the throne room tripled in height. Keoza shrieked with fear and Azula giggled. Zuko's grip on Lu Ten's hand tightened. "Father, this is a waste of time," Ozai complained. "We should kill the girl and be done with this farce."

Firelord Azulon scowled at Ozai. "I suppose it is too much to expect a Tribeswoman to learn two names in a row. Do you remember mine at least, child?"

"Fire, um… Firelord Azu-Azulon." She made another clumsy attempt at the bow Iroh had shown her.

"She has learned in seconds more decorum than you have in decades, Prince Ozai," Azulon mocked. "She remembered my name, unlike you, my son." Azulon spoke the words "my son" without a drop of tenderness.

"Guards, take our guest to the servants to have her cleaned up and properly dressed." He leveled his gaze at the child. "You are a very lucky girl, Keoza, and if you know what's good for you, you'll learn that quickly."

The guards began to lead Keoza away. Azula's bright cheerful voice filled the throne room. "Bye, Keoza! It was nice to meet you!"

Keoza flinched, and then she was gone.

…

Sokka cradled the baby (Fire Nation baby) in his arms as he, Aang and Suki made their way to the designated meeting place. "I still hate this plan," he reminded his friends, in case they had forgotten the twelve other times he said as much.

When they arrived, four girls were waiting for them. A girl in somber colors stood in front, while a girl with some sort of golden hair ornament in her topknot stood at her right. A third girl stood at her left dressed all in pink. In the back was a girl with dark skin, dressed all in red, with her brown hair in a topknot.

Aang and the somber girl started discussing the hostage trade, but Sokka wasn't paying attention to them. There was something about the fourth girl… Sokka couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt like he knew her somehow. Of course, that was impossible. Why would Sokka know some Fire Nation girl?

Then, everything fell apart. The girl with the golden hair ornament (Princess Azula, apparently) called off the trade. They began to fight. Azula went straight for Aang. Sokka pulled out his club.

"Sokka! Get the baby out of here," Suki yelled as she opened her fans and ran towards the other three girls.

Sokka had to acknowledge that the child's safety was the most important thing. He turned and ran. A stream of water knocked him to the ground. Sokka made sure he fell on his back, so as not to injure the baby.

Sokka looked up at his attacker. The strange girl descended on him. "You're a Waterbender!"

"Hand over Tom-tom."

"But you're Fire Nation! How can you be a Waterbender?" He stared at the girl. For a moment, he felt a flash of recognition. His breath caught in his throat.

Sokka remembered pieces of the worst day in his life. He recalled playing in the snow with his baby sister, the way she smiled at him. This girl certainly wasn't smiling, but there was something about her face… "Katara?"

The girl froze. Sokka remembered finding his mother on the floor of their home, weeping. She wasn't weeping for the pain of her burn injuries, but for the loss of her daughter. "Katara, is that you?"

"My name is Keoza, savage," she snarled. She threw several icicles at him.

Sokka yelped, but none of the frozen blades pierced his skin. They went through his clothing and pinned him in place. The girl walked over and removed the baby from his arms. "Katara-"

"I'm not Katara," Katara insisted. Sokka knew it was her. She looked so much like their dad, and she still had that classic Katara stubbornness.

"Katara, it's me, Sokka. It's your brother." Sokka had come to terms years ago with the fact that his sister was probably dead. He'd never considered a worse possibility.

"My brothers are my fellow loyal Fire Nation soldiers. A treacherous barbarian is NOT my brother." She adjusted her grip on the baby and turned to walk away.

"Katara, wait! Katara, come back!" He struggled against the ice. He couldn't let her get away. He couldn't fail his baby sister again.

Katara ran over to her friends. Between the two of them, they had managed to best Suki, who laid on the ground with limp limbs. "We need to back up Princess Azula. Let's go!"

The other two girls heeded Katara. The trio disappeared. Sokka felt his face get wet as he struggled against the icicles. Eventually, he freed himself and then made his way over to Suki.

"Sokka, what happened? What's wrong? Did they hurt the baby?" Suki looked at Sokka's tear-stained face with grave concern.

"I saw my sister," Sokka whispered as he pulled Suki up and started trying to rub feeling back into her numb limbs.

Suki smiled at him in gratitude and then frowned in confusion. "I didn't know you have a sister."

"Maybe I don't," Sokka whispered.

…

Katara cried out as strange pale women with long dark hair pulled off her clothes and shoved her into hot water. "Ow! Ow!" The water was hotter than anything she was used to bathing in. Steam wafted from the surface.

A woman grabbed Katara's hair and shoved her head under the water. Katara took a deep breath just before going down. She was yanked back up. The woman put some kind of strange soap in Katara's hair and started to knead and tug at it. "Ugh. It's so oily," she complained.

A different woman picked up some sort of strange brush that looked like it was made out of a sea creature and started to scrape it against Katara's skin. "Ow! That hurts! Stop!"

"Look Yoola," the woman tugging at Katara's hair said. "It's so thick and course. It's like ostrichhorse hair." She snickered.

"She's so dirty," Yoola complained. "They must never bathe at the South Pole."

"Why would savages need to bathe," the other woman said with a chuckle.

Katara couldn't protest that she had been very clean before being forced on the Fire Nation ship. Her mother had braided her hair that morning, fingers deft and gentle. The accumulated grime was from weeks alone in her cell without access to water. Katara couldn't explain any of this, because she was dunked under the water again.

Katara's skin was soon almost red from the heat. She felt woozy. She wondered what the women would do if she passed out and slipped under the water. They would probably let her drown. Katara wondered if that wouldn't be for the best.

The women yanked Katara out of the water and started to towel her off. Yoola grabbed a brush and began to force it through Katara's hair, yanking and pulling. "Ow! Stop!"

The other woman grabbed a bottle of some strange liquid with a weird smell and began to rub it into Katara's hair. "I doubt we'll be able to cover up her natural stench."

"We have to try our best," Yoola said. "One doesn't defy the orders of the Crown Prince."

Katara shook as the women continued to yank her hair and bruise her tender flesh. Once she was dry, they dressed her in red clothes made out of some strange slippery material. It was so light that Katara almost felt naked in it. They pulled her hair up to the top of her head and put it in a top knot.

"Well, we did the best we could with what we had," Yoola said, sounding pleased with herself.

"All things considered, we did quite well," the other woman said.

"Time to show Prince Iroh." Yoola grabbed Katara's shoulder and marched her out of the room. The floors of the hall were made of a strange black stone that felt hot under her bare feet. The walls were impossible to see under the fabric they were draped with. Tapestries depicted the visages of severe men and women or scenes of long ago battles.

Katara shook with fear. "Please, let me go home. I just want to go home. Please. Ple-"

"Be quiet," Yoola snapped. She stopped in front of a door and knocked. "Stand up straight," she ordered. "Do you remember how to bow?"

The door opened. Prince Iroh smiled at her, as if he were a kindly elder instead of one of the people that had stolen her away. "Hello, Keoza. You look very lovely."

"Please let me go!" Katara grabbed onto the bottom of the man's robe, like she did with her father's parka when she was throwing a temper tantrum. "I want to go home! Please!"

Yoola gasped. "How dare you-!"

Iroh silenced her with a wave. "It's alright, Yoola. She's just a child. She doesn't know any better."

"For putting her filthy hands on your Royal Person, this disgusting barbarian should have them cut off!"

"She hasn't touched my Royal Person, only my robe, which is touched by all manner of common hands each time it is cleaned. After all, the silk from which this was spun once came from a humble silk waspworm. It is no matter. Thank you, Yoola. You are dismissed."

Yoola bowed to Iroh. "Yes, My Prince. Thank you." She gave Katara a parting dirty look as she departed. Katara shivered.

Iroh took hold of Katara's hands and removed them from his robe. He knelt down to lessen their height differential. "Keoza, I know that this is all very new and strange for you, but you are a very lucky girl. At the place you came from, you would never have been given an education. You would have been married off at a young age to produce more warriors for your violent chief to throw away in pointless battles."

Katara shook her head. Her dad loved her. He would never have let strange women bruise her and pull her hair. She wanted to be safe in his arms again, listening to her mother sing a lullaby.

"I'm not telling you this to upset you. You're safe now. You're being given an opportunity most could only ever dream of. The day will come when you look back at this moment with both shame and gratitude, beside yourself with joy that your request wasn't granted."

Katara looked at the strange black stone that made up the floor. She wanted snow. She wanted fur. She wanted her family. "Please let me go home," she begged.

Iroh sighed. "I know this will take time, but you must understand, Keoza. My father, though a generous man, is not tolerant of disrespect or disobedience. You are home now, Keoza. Do you understand?"

"My name is Katara," Katara whispered.

Iroh shook his head. "How about this? You'll have dinner with me and my son. We'll teach you proper table manners. If you do a good job, tomorrow you can join in on Princess Azula's playdate with her friends. Would you like that?"

"No!"

Iroh put a hand on Katara's shoulder. She flinched, preparing herself for pain. "My brother's daughter is a very nice girl. I'm sure the two of you could become great friends. You are of an age, after all."

"I don't want to be her friend! I want my brother! I want my parents! I want my Gran-Gran! I want-!"

"You will never see any of those people again." Iroh's voice was firm. "You are a member of the Fire Nation now. You can accept that and thrive here, or you can cause yourself a great deal of unnecessary pain and grief."

Katara squeezed her eyes shut tight. She pictured her family's faces. She remembered the feel of her grandmother's wrinkled hands. She thought about her brother's annoying laugh. She recalled her father picking her up and tossing her in the air. She heard her mother sing.

Iroh patted her shoulder. "I understand. You are just hungry. My son would throw tantrums when he was your age as well, only to regain his natural sweet disposition once he'd eaten."

Katara hiccuped. Her dry sobs had worn out her lungs. She was hungry, but she knew that eating wouldn't make her feel better. She wondered how long it would take her to die if she refused to eat.

"Come, I have a surprise for you. I had the cook prepare spiked hedgeorca from the Southern Sea. It is a rare delicacy here, but no doubt familiar to you." Iroh ushered her inside.

Strange spices burned Katara's tongue as she ate. She winced in pain with each bite of the unrecognizable hedgeorca. Iroh and Lu Ten kept calling her Keoza, but Katara pretended not to hear them. She looked for a cup of water to wash away the pain of the strange spices.

"Would you like some water, Keoza," Iroh asked.

"My name is Katara," Katara insisted as her mouth burned.

"We don't have any water for Katara, but would Keoza like some," Lu Ten asked.

"I'm not Keoza," Katara insisted.

Iroh sighed as he sipped his tea. Even hot tea would be some relief. Katara was so thirsty. She didn't think there was much she wouldn't be willing to drink at that moment.

Iroh saw her watching. "Would you like some tea, Keoza?"

"My name is Katara."

"That's too bad," Lu Ten said. "We got some ice cream for Keoza."

Katara frowned at him. "What's ice cream?"

"It's a sweet refreshing frozen treat," Lu Ten explained. He gestured to a servant. Seconds later, a bowl was placed in front of him with some sort of brown food in it. The bowl was cold enough that Katara could see frost fleeing from it.

Lu Ten picked up a spoon and used it to dig into the bowl. "It's only for special occasions," Lu Ten explained as he ate. "We were going to give some to Keoza to celebrate her first meal with us. It's too bad she isn't here."

"Would you like some ice cream, Keoza," Iroh asked in a soft voice, so soft that Katara could almost pretend she hadn't heard him say the wrong name. Katara thought about the way her mother smiled when she put a bowl of sea prunes in front of the family. Katara remembered the way her mother said her name. Katara remembered the way Kya had screamed it when Katara was dragged away.

"My name is Katara." Katara stared straight ahead. She didn't drink a drop of water during the entire meal.


	2. Chapter 2

Katara was led into a strange room. Everything in the room was red or gold. In the center of the room was a wooden frame with a thick mattress on it. It was covered in thin blankets that would be useless against Arctic winds.

Yoola undid Katara's topknot and pulled Katara's clothes off of her before tugging almost identical ones over her head. Yoola pushed her towards the mattress. "Go to bed. You have a big day tomorrow."

Katara frowned. "Where are the furs?"

Yoola rolled her eyes. "Savage," she muttered. "Get in the bed." She shoved Katara again.

Katara climbed onto the bed. She frowned in discomfort and thirst. She wanted water so bad. She closed her eyes and imagined a bubbling freshwater spring. She thought about collected rain and melted snow.

Katara opened her eyes. She was alone. She got out of bed and walked to the door. She licked her chapped lips, but it didn't help. Katara opened the door.

A tall man in armor stood on the other side of the door. He was dressed similar to the soldier that had taken Katara away. Katara screamed. The man scowled at her.

"Get back in bed," he ordered.

Katara closed the door and ran back to the bed. She jumped in and burrowed under the thin blankets, as if they could offer her any measure of protection. She was so scared and so thirsty. She wanted her mother.

They weren't going to let her have water until she gave up her name, but she couldn't give up her name. It was the last thing she had left that her parents had given her. Katara grabbed a pillow and hugged it. She wondered what Sokka would say if he were with her.

She knew Sokka would tell her to fight. Sokka wouldn't let them have his name. So, she would fight too. Katara squeezed the pillow tighter.

"Katara," she whispered in a raspy voice. It hurt to speak. "My name is Katara. Katara. Katara."

Katara thought about home. "I'm Katara. I'm Hakoda and Kya's daughter. I'm Sokka's sister. I'm Kanna's granddaughter. I'm Katara."

It took hours, but eventually Katara was able to fall asleep.

…

Keoza put the baby in his mother's arms. She had carried him the whole time they walked through Omashu. She knew better than to hand him to Mai. Azula couldn't see even a hint that Mai cared for her brother. Such weaknesses were unacceptable.

"Oh, thank you, Keoza!" Keoza winced at the shrill exclamation. "Who knows what those barbarians would have done to him? We are in your eternal debt."

Keoza put her fist against her palm and bent her spine at a slight angle, a bow between equals. Keoza didn't have noble status, but she was a Royal Ward. She could have performed a bow from a superior to an inferior, but she saw no need to cause offense. "Not at all. It was my duty to keep pure Blood of Fire away from savage hands."

Keoza departed. She had nothing left to say. Azula was waiting. Mai and Ty Lee stood in silence. "We have a new target, ladies."

"So we're not going after Zuko and Ursa anymore," Ty Lee asked.

"We will find those traitors as well, but for now we have a bigger target. We must subdue the Avatar." Azula locked eyes on Keoza. "One of his companions is a Water Tribe savage."

"Yes," Keoza said. "I fought him. He was a pitiful opponent, easily bested."

"Then why isn't he our prisoner?"

"I prioritized getting to you, My Princess. You are our great nation's future, oh Gleaming Light of the West. Your importance far outshines that of any mere barbarian." Keoza bowed her head. "If my judgement was in error, I accept whatever consequences you deem appropriate."

Azula waved away Keoza's words with a flippant gesture. "You weren't wrong. I am more important than anyone else. Did the savage say anything to you?"

Keoza shrugged. "The incomprehensible grunts one would expect from any beast."

Azula smirked. "Well, let us begin our hunt." Azula turned around and started to walk away.

Mai took a step forward to follow Azula, but she passed Keoza as she did. Mai let her fingers brush Keoza's wrist. Keoza leaned forward and breathed in her ear. "He knew me."

Mai kept walking, giving no sign that she had heard. They both knew their roles. They knew their responsibilities. Keoza looked at her hands. She knew her name. She was Keoza.

…

"We're going to play a game," Azula said. She threw a small flame at a tree, breaking one of the branches. A lemonapple fell from the tree. Ty Lee cartwheeled over and caught it before it could hit the ground. She bowed her head and offered it to Azula.

Mai frowned. Azula's games were always fun for Azula, but sometimes they could be quite painful for other people. Azula took the lemonapple from Ty Lee and held it up. "Mai, you're part of this. Come here."

Mai chastised herself in her head. She shouldn't have frowned. Of course Azula would notice the frown and punish her for it. Mai walked over to Azula.

Azula placed the lemonapple on top of Mai's head. "The game is simple. Knock the lemonapple off the other person's head." Azula backed up. Then she threw fire.

Mai flinched. She never flinched. The fire was headed straight for her though. Mai smelt something burning. A wave of water crashed into her from behind and sent her to her knees.

Azula howled with laughter. "Nice one, Keoza!"

Mai looked up. Keoza was in a bending stance. There was a blush peeking out from under her dark complexion. "I'm sorry! The fire…"

"What are you girls up to?" Mai turned her head and saw Princess Ursa with her hands on her hips, looking disapproving. "Mai, you're soaking wet. What happened?"

Keoza bowed to Princess Ursa. "It's my fault, Your Highness. I was careless with my bending while we were playing. Princess Azula warned me to be more careful."

"Are you alright, Mai," Azula asked in her sweetest tone.

Mai got to her feet. "I'm fine. It was an accident. Don't worry, Keoza." She locked her gaze on those sparkling blue eyes.

"Here, Dear." Ursa approached and put her hands on Mai's shoulders. Steam wafted up from her clothing, and she was dry in seconds. "Better?"

Mai bowed. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Ursa turned to Keoza. "You must be more careful. Water is weaker than fire, but it can still be dangerous. Mai could have gotten hurt."

Keoza bowed again. "Apologies, Your Highness."

Ursa smiled and patted Keoza on the head. "All children make mistakes. Don't feel too bad. You've grown a lot since you first came here. We're all proud of you."

Ursa turned to Azula. "Thank you for being so responsible." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "It's wonderful how you look out for your friends."

"Thank you, Mother."

Mai felt resentment burning in her gut. In that moment, she hated the princesses. She glanced at Keoza while Azula and Ursa were paying attention to each other. She was looking at the ground. Mai saw a single tear fall to the dirt.

Mai slipped over to Keoza. "Don't let them see," Mai whispered. "Never let them see." Mai brushed her fingers against Keoza's hand.

Keoza nodded. "Thank you." She looked up and painted a neutral expression on her face. An empty smile hid all feeling.

Mai approved. She didn't show it, of course. Approval was an emotion too. Emotions were for people who could afford them, like princesses.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara becomes Keoza

In the morning, Katara was brought before the Firelord. Servants dragged her into the throne room and then left her there. The old man glared at her. Her legs shook. She wanted to crawl under the floor and disappear.

She wanted to run to the sea and swim back home. She wanted her father to show up, sweep her into his arms and carry her back home. She wanted a lot of things. They didn't happen.

"You don't like your new name?"

Katara's head was pounding. She needed water. They hadn't given her much water on the ship, but they had given her some. "My name is Katara," she barely managed to get past her cracked and bleeding lips.

He smiled, but there was no joy in the smile. "My son believes that you can be of great use to us. I'm not sure yet, but regardless, I will not be defied by a child." He nodded at a servant. "Give her a drink."

The servant nodded. He procured a cup and brought it to Katara. When Katara saw the clear contents she could have wept for joy. "Drink up, Katara," Azulon said. That was the first and last time someone in the Fire Nation addressed her by her name.

Katara took the cup and with eager fingers and imbibed a large gulp. The cup slipped through her fingers as she screamed in pain. The burning liquid stung her bleeding lips. She threw up, and what came out of her smelled like the village drunk.

"You didn't like it?" Azulon smirked at her.

Katara fell to her knees and shook. She couldn't cry. She couldn't speak. She was so thirsty.

"You don't look well, Keoza," Azulon said. "Would you like some water, Keoza?"

Keoza nodded. "Please," she managed to get out. "Please."

"What is your name?"

"Keoza," she rasped. "My name is Keoza."

"Give her water," Azulon ordered. A cup was pushed into her hands. She drank and drank. It tasted like blood.

"Get her out of my sight and clean up this mess."

Keoza was dragged away. No one ever denied her water again.

…

"Suki? Aang? Suki! Aang!" Sokka turned in a circle, scanning his surroundings.

All Sokka could see was water and trees. A mosquitowasp buzzed in his ear. Sokka scowled. He wasn't a huge fan of nature in general, but he had a specific distaste for this swamp in particular.

"Sokka?"

Sokka jumped. "Suki?" He turned in a circle again. A horned frogcow croaked at him. He scowled at it.

"Sokka?" Sokka heard laughter.

"Who's there? What do you want?!" Sokka clenched his hands into fists.

A flash of blue ran past him. Sokka yelped and jumped back. The blue flash disappeared into the trees as quick as it had appeared. Sokka hesitated, and then he followed.

"Hey! Who are you?! Hey! Stop!"

Sokka ran towards a clearing. He entered the clearing and then came to a complete stop. In the center of the clearing stood a young teenager dressed in blue. She was turned away from him so that he couldn't see her face. Her long brown hair flowed down her shoulders.

"Hello? Are you okay?"

"Why didn't you protect me," she whispered.

"What?" Sokka's heart was racing so fast that he thought it might leap out of his chest.

"Why didn't you try to help me?"

"Who- who are you?"

The girl turned around. Sokka gasped and stepped back. He knew the girl. It was Katara.

"What- what are you doing here? How did you get here? What's… What's going on?"

She took a step towards him. "You let them take me away. You let them take me away again. Mother is still crying."

Sokka stepped towards her. "I'm sorry…"

She closed the gap between them and reached forward to shove him. "My older brother should have protected me!"

Sokka lost his balance and fell to the wet ground. He started to sob. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Katara!" He rubbed his eyes with the back of his muddy hand.

Sokka looked up to see Katara again. No one was there. He was alone. He lost himself to his sobs.

…

"Keoza."

Keoza bowed. "Yes, Crown Prince Iroh?"

Iroh smiled at her. Keoza hated him so much. She hated his kind manners and his genial affect. She hated him more than she hated Azula. At least Azula didn't believe her own lies.

Keoza smiled back at her generous benefactor.

"I'm leaving soon. I'm going to the Earth Kingdom, to conquer Ba Sing Se."

"May the Sun shine blessings on your righteous endeavor," Keoza replied.

Iroh grinned with delight. "Thank you, dear child. While I am gone, my son will be your guardian. He will look after you and oversee your education. He is already searching for a proper bending instructor for you."

"My Princes are generous."

Iroh nodded. "We are glad you think so. It has been a true delight to have you as a member of our household."

Keoza bowed. "Thank you, Prince Iroh."

"I'm so glad to hear that you and Princess Azula have become acquainted with one another. I think it is wonderful that you two have become friends."

Keoza forced herself to smile. "Princess Azula is kind, funny and clever. It is a true delight to be her companion."

Iroh nodded. "Good, good. I expect that Ba Sing Se will fall without too much trouble. We will see each other again soon. Until then, my dear, know that I am very, very proud of you."

She bowed. "Your words fill me with joy and satisfaction. I thank you."

After she was dismissed, she went to her room. She asked a servant for a cup of water. She drank a lot of water, and no one ever seemed to find that strange or worth commenting on. Once Katara's door was shut and she was alone with her water she pulled it from the cup.

Katara held the water between her hands and focused. She turned the water into ice and then back into water again. She pulled the water into several smaller spheres. She made it into icicles. She practiced for hours. Then she drank the water.

Katara didn't sleep much. What little sleep she managed was full of hateful dreams. She dreamed of Firebenders drowning in an ocean that she controlled. That night was no different, and the Firebender she dreamed of drowning was her own generous benefactor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please consider leaving a review if you would like.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As far as the whole Katara/Keoza thing, it depends on the pov character. If the pov character thinks she is Keoza, that is how she is referred to, if they think she is Katara, that is how she is referred to. If there is uncertainty, both names might be used.

"Keoza, this is Princess Azula. You may bow to her like so." Iroh demonstrated the bow for Keoza under the cherryflower tree.

Keoza bowed to Azula. Iroh gave her an encouraging smile. Keoza stared at the princess. Her skin looked like bone. Her smile looked like a spidershark's.

"It's so nice to see you again, Keoza. You look much cleaner than you did before. I love what you did with your hair." Azula reached out and touched Keoza's hair, running her fingers down it. Keoza shivered. "What an interesting feeling."

"Keoza, Princess Azula's playmates will be here soon. Would you like to play with them?"

Keoza frowned at Iroh. Her mouth still burned from the liquor Azulon had given her. She knew that questions weren't questions anymore. Questions were commands. She bowed to Iroh.

"Have fun, child." He left them alone.

"What kind of games do you have in the South Pole," Azula asked.

Keoza frowned. She didn't know the right answer to that question. She didn't know the rules. Then again, Azula was just a little girl like her. Maybe she wasn't as awful as Azulon and Iroh. Maybe the question was just a question.

"My brother and I used to play hide and freeze," Keoza said.

Azula smiled. "That sounds like great fun. How do you play?"

"One person hides, and while the other person looks for them they are supposed to sneak from hiding spot to hiding spot. If the seeker sees the hider, they yell freeze really loud. Then the hider has to freeze." Keoza smiled at the memory of playing with her brother, Katara's brother.

Azula snickered. "What a ridiculous and uncivilized waste of time. Alright, let's play. I shall be the hider."

Keoza smiled. Sokka always made her be the hider. He loved being a seeker. "Okay!"

Keoza closed her eyes and waited for Azula to hide. When she opened her eyes, Azula was gone. Keoza went to the other side of the cherryflower tree, but Azula wasn't there. Keoza looked around. There were no snow banks in the Fire Nation. There weren't many places Keoza could think of to hide.

Keoza searched the whole garden. She looked behind bushes. She looked behind pillars. She even peeked under the grates, but there was nothing there but water.

"You're going to get in trouble."

Keoza jumped. She whirled around and saw a boy, the boy that had been standing next to Lu Ten when Keoza was first brought to the Fire Nation. Keoza frowned. "Why?"

"Azula is inside. She's crying because you won't play with her. She said she offered to teach you some fun Fire Nation games, but you called her mean names and refused to play," the boy explained.

Keoza frowned. "We're playing hide and freeze," she insisted. "She's really good at hiding."

"Azula is good at everything," the boy agreed. "She isn't hiding though. She's inside. Uncle Iroh is giving her ice cream and apologizing to her for leaving her alone with you."

"I don't understand," Keoza said. "She said she would hide while I looked for her."

"She lied. Azula always lies." The little boy shrugged. "You should go inside and apologize."

"But I didn't do anything wrong," Keoza insisted.

"I believe you," he assured her. "They won't though. If you apologize, it will be a lot easier for you. Trust me."

Keoza scowled at the boy. "This isn't fair! I did what she told me to do!"

"Keoza!" Keoza turned around again. Iroh was walking towards her. He looked angry. "That was very unkind what you said to Princess Azula. You will apologize at once!"

"I didn't! He can tell you!" Keoza turned to point at the boy, but he was gone. "Where did he go?"

"Come with me," Iroh ordered. "This behavior is unacceptable. If you are upset about something, you must come and tell me. You can't bully other children just because you're unhappy. That isn't kind."

"But I…" She thought about the boy's instructions. She bowed her head. "Yes, Prince Iroh."

…

"It's those four girls from Omashu," Aang shouted.

Sokka's heart started racing. He could see her, on the eelhound. He couldn't breathe. "Sokka," Suki whispered.

"We can take them," Toph declared. "Four on four. Two of them aren't even benders," she said derisively.

Suki put her hands on her hips and glared at Toph. "Sokka and I aren't benders either."

"True," Toph admitted. "You're a certified badass though, and I can fight as well as two people."

"Benders aren't automatically better fighters than non-benders," Suki snapped.

"We have to get out of here," Sokka whispered.

"We can-" Toph started to say.

"We have to go!" Sokka stared at her. He couldn't see the expression on her face. He didn't want to see it. She hadn't known him.

"Sokka, are you okay?" Aang sounded concerned.

The princess was moving her hands. "Toph, a wall!" Sokka's shout and Toph's response were just in time to block a bolt of lightning that came from the princess's fingers. The lightning destroyed the wall though.

Katara stood up in the saddle of her mount and summoned water out of the air. She turned the water into ice daggers and threw them. Sokka tackled Toph, who wouldn't be able to see them coming. Aang sent a gust of wind towards the ice, sending it off course.

"Get off!" Toph elbowed him.

Sokka scrambled to his feet. "C'mon! We're leaving!"

"Okay," Suki said. "Okay, let's go."

"Appa's really tired," Aang complained.

A third girl stood up and pulled out a handful of knives. "We just have to go a little further," Suki said. They all ran to Appa. Sokka didn't look back.

…

"Keoza, meet your waterbending teacher." Lu Ten called her a teacher, not a Master. Water was the inferior element, and those who used it didn't deserve to be called Masters. "This is Hama."

Lu Ten put his hand on Keoza's shoulder and pushed her closer to the woman kneeling on the floor, bound in chains. She wore grey threadbare rags and had long greasy grey hair. Lu Ten wrinkled his nose at the smell of the woman who hadn't been allowed to bathe in decades. Keoza trembled under his touch.

"Don't worry. She can't hurt you. She's only allowed to show you the forms. We won't let her touch any actual water."

Hama glanced at him, her eyes hard and full of hate. She didn't speak. Keoza continued to shake. Lu Ten frowned. "Say something, savage," he ordered Hama.

Hama looked at Keoza. "What is your name, child," she asked in a hoarse, disused voice.

"Keoza," Keoza whispered.

Hama frowned. "What is your true name?"

"That is her name, and if you imply otherwise, we'll have your tongue cut out. Do you understand?"

Hama stared at him for a long time. She nodded. "I understand."

Lu Ten felt uneasy. She looked at him like she could see inside of him. He wanted to punish her, but he knew that wouldn't help him with his goal. "If you teach Keoza waterbending, you'll be given more food and clean clothes."

Hama returned her gaze to Keoza. "What was your mother's name?"

Keoza froze under Lu Ten's touch. She looked up at him, searching for instruction. "Keoza is a Royal Ward. Her mother is the sun itself. Her father is our great nation," Lu Ten insisted.

"Is that right, Keoza?"

Keoza nodded. "Yes. I am loyal to the Fire Nation and to the Fire Lord."

"If you are Fire Nation, I cannot teach you waterbending. You will not be able to understand."

Lu Ten scowled. "You will teach her. If you do not, your imprisonment will get worse."

Hama chuckled, a dry, depraved sound. "How could it get worse?"

Lu Ten squirmed in discomfort. "I will find a way. We are very innovative in the Fire Nation. You will teach Keoza."

Hama kept staring at Keoza. "What can you do, child?"

Keoza glanced at Lu Ten. He nodded. She went over to the grate on the far side of the room and pulled some water from beneath it. She held the water in her hand. She brought it back over to Lu Ten and Hama.

Hama kept staring. "The Northern Tribe doesn't allow girls to learn waterbending. How did you learn-"

"Stop asking questions!" Lu Ten's face turned red with anger. "You will instruct Keoza in waterbending! You will not speak unless it is to do so! Do you understand?"

Hama stared at him. Her blue eyes were as hard and frigid as glaciers. "I understand."

"Then begin." Lu Ten took a step back and folded his arms over his chest.

Hama began to instruct Keoza on where to place her feet. Her voice was dry and emotionless. However, the hate never left her eyes. Lu Ten felt cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please consider leaving a review if you would like. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keoza has a complicated relationship with Ursa's children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sick to my stomach. I have no idea what's going to happen next. If you're someone who prays, I think we all need a bit of prayer right now.

Keoza ate the food that burned her mouth and washed it down with copious amounts of water. "Princess Azula was kind enough to agree to give you a second chance. Tomorrow she will introduce you to her friends. I expect you to be kind to all three girls," Iroh lectured.

"Yes, Prince Iroh." The words passed through Keoza's burning lips, but she didn't feel them. She didn't feel anything. She was tired.

"Azula is really nice," Lu Ten said. "You'll love being her friend."

"Yes, Prince Lu Ten."

Once the meal was finished, Keoza was sent to bed. She laid on top of the silk sheets, too hot to fall asleep. She stared at the darkness. She wondered what her family was doing at that moment. She wondered if they were thinking about her. She ran through their names in her head.

"Sokka," she whispered into the darkness. She imagined him groaning in annoyance and insisting she had woken him up before asking what she wanted. "Kya," she whispered. She imagined her mother reaching out to touch her hair and asking if she needed anything. "Hakoda," she whispered. She imagined him picking her up and holding her close.

"Kan-" Katara froze. She could hear something. Small footsteps were making soft sounds on the floor. "Hello," Keoza squeaked. She was terrified.

A small weight dropped onto the blankets. Keoza started to yelp, but a tiny hand went over her mouth. "Shh," Azula ordered. "It's just me." She lifted her hand.

Keoza's heart was pounding, and her mouth was dry. "What are you doing?"

"I want you to tell me more about the place with all the snow," Azula said. "It was interesting."

"My home?"

"No," Azula said. In the darkness, Keoza couldn't see her expression. All Keoza could see was a rough outline of her, a shadow in a pool of shadows, a smudge of darkness against a backdrop of slightly less deep darkness. "This is your home," Azula said. "That's just the place with the snow."

"But-" Azula reached out and pinched Keoza's cheek. "Ow!"

"Shhhh."

"That hurt," Keoza hissed. Her eyes welled up with tears.

"I want to hear about the place with the snow," Azula commanded. "You have to tell me. I'm your Princess."

"I'll tell Prince Iroh on you," Keoza said.

"Why would he believe you? You were bullying me today, and I was kind enough to forgive you. Now, tell me about the snow."

"That isn't what happened," Keoza insisted. "We were playing, and you ran away."

"If you don't tell me what I want to know, you'll bully me again tomorrow, and I'll forgive you. Uncle Iroh will be so proud of me, and he'll come up with an awful punishment for you." Keoza couldn't see her smile, but she could hear it.

Keoza's eyes filled with tears. Those memories were for her. Azula didn't have a right to them. They meant so much to Keoza. They were all she had left of being Katara.

"Go on. Tell me. If you don't do what I say, I can make everything so much worse. Tell me the stories."

Keoza held in a sob. She gave up the memories.

…

Azula knelt down in front of the clumps of fur. She touched the wet strands on the dry ground. She smiled. "Mai, Ty Lee, follow this trail. Keoza and I are going that way." She pointed towards a tree with several broken branches.

All three girls bowed to her in acquiescence. Azula and Keoza began to follow the path. Keoza was silent, obedient. Azula glanced at her. Azula knew she had trained her friend well.

After a long ride, their eelhounds brought them to an abandoned village. They dismounted to explore. It didn't take long to find their prey. The Avatar was waiting for them, sitting cross-legged in the center of town.

Azula smiled. "It's over," she said. "You are too tired to keep running. There's nowhere that you can hide where I won't find you."

The Avatar stared at her with big grey eyes. Under his eyes rested heavy black bags. He didn't respond. He just got to his feet.

"Azula!" Azula turned around. She scowled when she saw who was standing there. Zuko was helping Ursa dismount an ostrichhorse.

"Oh good, you're here. Not now, Mother. I will be with you in a moment."

Ursa stepped forward. "Sweetheart, I am so happy to see you. I've missed you."

Azula scoffed. "You would think that wound would heal after three years." She smirked at her brother's ugly red scar. "Then again…"

He scowled. "You're not taking the Avatar! We are!"

Azula rolled her eyes. "Keoza, deal with them. I'll handle the Avatar."

Keoza stepped forward to comply, flowing into a bending stance as she moved. "Keoza," Ursa said in a sad tone. "It is good to see you again, my dear. Please-"

Keoza pulled water from the air and whipped it towards Ursa. Zuko blocked with fire. Satisfied, Azula turned away from them to face the Avatar. She attacked him with her blue fire, hotter than any others.

The Avatar ran. Azula persued. The Avatar dodged. Azula blasted the sides of buildings to bury him in debris. The Avatar looked terrified. Azula smiled.

"Azula!"

Azula turned around. Zuko and Keoza were still fighting, but Ursa had slipped away. Ursa was standing right behind her, looking at her with pleading eyes. "I wrote to you every single day. I never received a response. Did your father confiscate my letters?"

Azula glared at her. "You will show Firelord Ozai the respect of referring to him by his proper title. As for your letters, I burned them all, unread."

Ursa looked heartbroken. Azula didn't care. Ursa wasn't useful to her anymore. "I love you, Azula. I'm so sorry that I had to leave."

"You chose to leave," Azula snarled. "No one forced you."

"I had to," Ursa begged. Azula was disgusted by begging. "Your brother was hurt. He needed me. I didn't have a choice."

"You had a choice," Azula insisted. "You had a choice, and you made it. You had to choose between your weak child and your strong one. You always did like pathetic things."

"If there had been any way to take you with me, I would have."

Azula snickered. "I would have burned you alive if you had tried." Azula looked down at her hands. "Well, better late than never."

"Azula!" Ursa kept screaming her name, like that would make a difference, like it mattered. Ursa had made her choice. Azula didn't need her.

…

Keoza stood in front of the fountain, practicing bending forms. She stopped. She could hear footsteps headed towards her. Someone was running. Someone was running and sobbing. They were loud.

Zuko burst into the courtyard. When he saw Keoza, he froze. He turned around to run away again.

"Zuko, wait." Keoza didn't know why she called out to him. She was supposed to know better. "What's wrong?"

"What do you care," he asked, voice saturated with bitterness and malice.

"You seem upset."

He whirled around to face her. "I am upset!" His face reddened with rage. "My uncle is dead!"

Keoza froze. She didn't understand. "Prince Iroh is dead?"

Zuko nodded. Snot bubbled from his nose. Tears flowed from his eyes. "He died in the siege."

Keoza nodded. "I see."

"You don't even care," he shouted at her. "He was always so nice to you! He said we should take you in instead of imprisoning you! If it weren't for him, you would be like Hama! You should be grateful, but you aren't! I bet you're glad he's dead!"

Keoza looked around. They were alone. She smiled at him. "I am glad."

His lips pulled back in a snarl of rage. Zuko's hands clenched into fists. Wisps of smoke drifted from his lips. Keoza wasn't afraid. She waited.

Zuko unclenched his hands. He started sobbing again. "I hate you. I hate you and Azula. You're terrible."

Keoza shrugged. "So was your uncle."

Zuko didn't respond to that. He turned around and ran away. His sobs echoed down the hall. Keoza shrugged and went back to bending practice.

Keoza heard a giggle and froze. Keoza turned around and faced the empty courtyard. Ty Lee dropped out of a tree. She smiled at Keoza. "That was funny."

Keoza stared at her in horror. "Don't tell Azula!"

Ty Lee tilted her head to the side. "Why not? She'll be proud of you."

"She… will?"

Ty Lee nodded, big smile on her face. "She loves teasing Zuko. C'mon! We'll go tell her together. She'll laugh." Ty Lee held out a hand to Keoza.

Keoza was cautious as she gave up her hand. Ty Lee beamed at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Katara deserves so much better than to be caught of in the Royal Family's drama TM.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Princess Ursa tries to take care of her children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone just let me know that they read "When My Name Was Keoko" because of this fic and loved it so much that they recommended it to someone else. This makes me so happy. 😊

Ursa entered the garden and smiled as she saw her daughter playing with Keoza. Ozai hated the arrangement. He didn't want their daughter anywhere near a filthy savage, but Ursa couldn't help but think it was a good thing for Azula to make a new friend. She had been worried about Azula. Ursa thought Azula needed all of the positive interactions she could get.

Azula directed Keoza where to stand and what to do for their game. Ursa chuckled. Azula was very bossy, but one would expect that of a six-year-old princess. Zuko was the opposite, so shy and withdrawn. Ursa loved her children with all her heart, even though they had nothing in common.

Keoza turned her head to look at Ursa. Her big blue eyes were full of sadness. Ursa felt a pang in her heart. She moved closer to the children. "Are you girls having fun?"

"Very much fun, Mother!" Azula grinned at Ursa.

Ursa smiled back. "I'm so glad. I'm proud of you for being so welcoming to your new friend." Ozai believed that negative reinforcement was the best teacher, but Ursa insisted positive reinforcement was better. If she kept encouraging Azula's good behavior, she would learn.

"Thank you, Mother." Azula gave Ursa a wide smile, and Ursa felt warmth in her heart. Her marriage to Ozai was awful, but her two beautiful children were her solace. Azula was difficult at times, but her kindness to Keoza proved to Ursa that she had a good heart.

Ursa looked at Keoza. "I'm so glad you're here, Dear Child. Is there anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable?"

Keoza looked up at Ursa. She looked at Azula and then back to Ursa again. She shook her head. "Thank you," she whispered in an emotionless tone.

"My mother is so nice," Azula said. "She's sweet to everyone. Don't you think so, Keoza?" She gave Ursa her widest grin.

Ursa blushed. "You're in a fine mood today."

"Talking to Keoza just made me realize how lucky I am to have two such wonderful, loving parents that I can talk to  _ whenever _ I want about  _ anything _ ." Azula reached forward and took Ursa's hand, giving it a squeeze.

Ursa's heart felt like it would explofe with love. She'd tried so hard and for so long to lead Azula to that perspective. She felt so grateful to Keoza for helping Azula find it. "Thank you, Sweet-"

Ursa was interrupted when Keoza burst into tears and ran away. Ursa frowned as she watched the child leave.

"What happened, Mother? Did I do something wrong?" Azula looked up at her with wide eyes, confused. "I thought we were having fun."

"You did nothing wrong," Ursa assured her. "The people of the Water Tribes have strange ways. I'm very proud of you Azula." She leaned forward and hugged her daughter tight.

When Azula hugged her back, Ursa didn't think it was possible for her to be happier.

…

Zuko heard the scream. He turned to look, and he froze. His mother was on the ground, cradling burnt and blistered limbs. A wave of water slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. Zuko scrambled to his feet, slipping and sliding in the mud.

Another wave knocked him over. He landed face first in the mud. "Mom!" He pushed himself up.

Ursa looked up and met his gaze, eyes shining with tears of pain. "Zuko, run!"

Azula laughed. "I knew it. I knew he was the only one you cared about." She smirked at them, like she'd just won something.

Zuko felt rage course through him. "She's our mother! How could you?!" Zuko got to his feet and started to get into a bending stance, but another wave knocked him over.

Keoza froze the water on Zuko's hands, keeping him on the ground. It was almost like he was bowing to Azula, and Zuko was sure Keoza had done that on purpose. Keoza walked past him like he was nothing. "Would you like me to heal Princess Ursa's wounds, Princess Azula?" Keoza's voice was flat, like her words carried no meaning.

Azula gave Keoza a baffled look. "Why would I want you to do that?" She looked over her shoulder and frowned. "Where did he go?" She returned her gaze to Keoza. "Which way did the Avatar go?"

Keoza pointed to Zuko. "I was fighting Prince Zuko. I didn't see him."

"I did!" Zuko tugged at the ice. He knew it was a pathetic lie, and he'd always been a horrible liar. He knew Azula would see right through him, but his mother needed him. "I saw where he went! I'll tell you if you heal Mother!"

Azula walked up to Zuko and knelt down in front of him. She grabbed Zuko's chin and forced his face up. He met her glittering malicious eyes. He thought, for a brief moment, about how Azula always tried to emulate their father in everything. He wondered if she would burn him like he had.

"Azula, leave him alone!"

"Where did he go," Azula whispered, voice hard.

"Make Keoza heal Mother," Zuko responded.

"Princess Azula, I can-"

"No." Azula looked up and glared at where Keoza was standing behind Zuko. "You will not heal her. She deserves to suffer." She returned her attention to Zuko. "Where is he?"

Zuko snarled at her, showing all of his teeth. "You can't hurt me. I have nothing left, no honor, no hope. Heal Mother, or kill me."

Ursa gasped. "Zuko, how can you say that?! Azula, he's your brother! Let him go. Kill me if you want, but let-"

Azula got to her feet and threw blue fire at the ground, silencing them. "Enough! I don't have time for traitors! Tell me where the Avatar is, or I'll kill you both!"

Something glittered in the air. Zuko started laughing as he recognized it a moment before it hit the back of Azula's head. She fell forward into the mud. "Ha! That's from the Water Tribe!"

Zuko craned his head to see the Avatar's bison coming in for a landing. Sokka and Suki jumped off the creature. Suki unfolded her fans. Zuko knew that their arrival wasn't good for him, but it was also bad for Azula, and he took some satisfaction from that.

Keoza stepped forward. "Where are Mai and Ty Lee?! What did you do with them?!"

Suki gave her a mournful look. "Katara of the Water Tribe, stand down. We know who you are. We can help you. We can set you free."

Keoza pulled water from the ground and made daggers of ice. "I am Keoza of the Fire Nation! The girl you speak of is dead, and were she to come before me, I would kill her again! You will be the one who stands down, or we will destroy you."

"You're outnumbered," Suki said.

The ground beneath them shook. "And outmatched!" The mud under Keoza climbed up her ankles and hardened into restraints. A short girl dressed in green entered the scene, cackling.

Zuko heated up his hands and managed to melt through Keoza's ice. He scrambled to his feet. Sokka and Suki both lifted their weapons. Zuko threw up his hands. "I surrender! Please, please help my mother."

Zuko heard laughter and turned around. Azula had gotten to her feet and was rubbing the back of her head. "Don't you see, Zuzu? Mother doesn't care about you. She never did."

"Shut up! You're lying! You always lie!" Zuko shook with rage.

"She poisoned you against Father and I so she could keep all of your love to herself. She's selfish and greedy. Zuko, tell me where the Avatar is, and you can come home with me. You don't need her. You'll have me and Father."

Zuko shook his head. "I'm not falling for another one of your tricks! I'm not playing another one of your rotten games that you always made us play!" He turned to Keoza. "Please help Mother. She was always kind to you."

Keoza stared at him. "Princess Ursa is very nice," she agreed. "That does not make her kind. I am loyal to the Firelord, as you should be."

"If I catch the Avatar, Father will welcome me back home! I'll be Crown Prince again! I can help you get away from Azula! I can help you _ and _ Mai! I-"

Keoza cut him off by knocking him over with another wave. Zuko tumbled to the ground while Azula laughed. "You're so stupid, Zuzu. Now, where is the Avatar?"

"I'm right here." A gust of wind knocked Azula off her feet. Suki grabbed her arms and twisted them so that she couldn't bend without burning herself. The Avatar stood in front of Keoza, hands raised. "Hi, it's nice to meet you, Katara."

Keoza scowled. "That's not my name."

"Sokka says it is."

"He's a liar!"

"No," Ursa whispered through the pain of her burns. Zuko flinched. He could hear the agony in her voice. He knew what it felt like. He would do anything to take the pain from her. "Your name is Katara, and I am so, so sorry for what we did to you, Dear Girl."

Zuko looked at his mother in amazement. "What are you talking about?"

Ice daggers formed in the air.

…

Ursa palmed more tears from her eyes. "Crying for my brother?" She jumped at the sudden and unexpected voice. Ursa turned to see Ozai in the doorway of her bedroom. "Perhaps you should have married him."

Ursa looked away. "He was our brother. It is our duty to mourn him." She prepared for one of Ozai's punches, always to places her robes covered.

He grabbed her chin, but not hard enough to bruise. He would never bruise her face. "How about a kiss for the future Firelord?" He didn't wait for an answer. He just kissed her.

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"My brother is dead, and his son is still a boy in many ways. He isn't fit to rule. I am. When I talk to Father, he will see that."

Ursa felt the icy hand of fear clutch her heart. "Azulon loved Iroh. He will not tolerate any disrespect to his memory." That earned her a punch to the gut. She fell to the floor.

"Love is for the weak. I can offer Father something much better, a legacy. You wouldn't understand. You've never been strong enough to understand." He walked away without waiting for a response.

Ursa pushed herself to her knees. She wiped away more tears, ones of pain mixed with ones of grief. She struggled to her feet and ran. She needed help. She had always needed help, but there had never been anyone to help her.

She knocked on the door of Lu Ten's apartments. Lu Ten took a while to open the door, and when he did he revealed a face red with heavy sobbing. "Aunt Ursa? What is it?"

"Please," she begged. "You have to stop him. He means to steal your throne." She pressed her hands against her throbbing side.

Lu Ten ushered her into his rooms. "Tell me everything," he demanded.

She tried to take a deep breath. Her ribs ached, but she ignored them. She began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leave a review if you would like. :D
> 
> P.S. Have you guys seen Soul yet? It's SO good. I cried, y'all.

**Author's Note:**

> This title is an homage to "When My Name Was Keoko" by Linda Sue Park, which is a book I was obsessed with and read over and over again when I was a kid. My copy once melted in my grandma's car and I painstakingly glued the spine back together even though my grandma wanted me to just throw it out. I have so many memories about this book, and it had a huge influence on me as a person. This book opened my Southern White Trash little girl eyes to a lot of things I knew nothing about and the people in my life weren't particularly inclined to teach me. This book taught me what suicide was, why hair isn't just hair and the Japanese word for five. It taught me a lot. None of this information is at all relevant to the above fic, but if you can't talk about meaningful childhood experiences to strangers in the internet, who can you talk to them about?
> 
> Also, as always, reviews create serotonin. If you'd like, drop a line, whether it's praise or complaint.


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